78 Human Intestinal Infections observed in Malta 
with their eyes and mouths black with flies, no attempt being made to drive 
them away. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Maltese are so heavily 
infected with all kinds of animal parasites. The comparative frequence of 
worm-eggs in the stools of this people also serves as an illustration of this 
condition. 
Table VI. 
Maltese Civilians, Batmen , Cooks, etc. 
Total No. examined 78. 
1 nfected with: 
No. 
o/ 
/o 
Entamoeba histolytica ... 
14 
18 
Free Amoebae (not determined) 
7 
9 
Other Protozoa ... 
36 
461 
Taenia saginata ... 
1 
1-3 
Hymenolepis nana 
1 
1-3 
Trichuris trichiura 
2 
2-5 
Ascarislumbricoid.es 
2 
2-5 
Section 4 of this Group (see Table VI) comprises Maltese civilians who were, 
for the most part, prospective cooks and waiters to be employed by the 
military. These included the servants of one household and of one mess. They 
were all of a better class than the average Maltese militiaman or gunner, and 
were not so heavily parasitized. Owing to their occupations, they had better 
housing, were obliged to be more cleanly in their habits, and lastly, were 
accustomed to better food. It is no exaggeration to say that E. histolytica and 
worm-eggs were nearly always found in the dirtier and more slovenly people. 
I think there were three exceptions. 78 individuals were examined with a 
percentage of E. histolytica cases of 18. None of these to my knowledge had 
suffered from acute symptoms. The servants of the household mentioned 
above were ten in number (together with three Maltese and two British soldiers 
included in Table V as garrison cases). On being questioned every one of them 
denied having had diarrhoea at any time (sic). Of these 15 servants, eight 
were infected with animal parasites, three of them with E. histolytica. The occu¬ 
pations of the three were respectively caretaker, messenger, and housemaid. 
The servants in the Officers’ Mess were seven in number. Four had animal 
parasites, and only one of them E. histolytica. 
Group III. 
This Group (Table VII) consisted mainly of Indian and Chinese troops who 
were proceeding home from France. The Indians mostly belonged to Labour 
Corps, and a fair proportion came from the province of Bihar. There were two 
Burmese included in this section, and a few men from the Naga Hills. The 
remainder came from various othei parts of India. The Chinese consisted of 
French Colonial Tirailleurs and Labour Corps. Most of them came from 
Tonkin. In addition to these a few other French Colonial Troops were ad¬ 
mitted to Hospital. 
